The Black Fleet
by Time's mortal enemy
Summary: In the new Moon Kingdom, a new hero must arise to defend the peace the Senshi have created. Takes place WAY post series
1. Chapter 1

As I have for the last three years, I count down my life to this moment.

Born in Crystal Era 23, orphaned two days later.

Discovered by a band of Elite Soldiers in an embattled colony at the age of six.

Inducted into the military academy at the age of ten.

Graduated the youngest ever, at the age of eleven, joined the Imperial Army.

Posted on permanent duty in the Palace on the Moon at the age of fifteen.

A wonderful career capped by one, tragic moment, when I was 'discovered' by Admiral Delos, and given my transfer papers.

Three years of Advanced Tactics and Maneuvers, and what am I know?

Personal Attaché to the Admiral.

A glorified secretary.

It isn't as bad as I suppose it could be. As the youngest and most brilliant recruit ever to come out of the academy, I'm instantly recognized by almost everyone who sees me. But this position that I hold, this dead end 'promotion' that has left me in the fleet far beyond the solar system, guarding the passage into the Moon Kingdom, is far beneath my abilities.

It could be worse, of course. I have heard horror stories of recruits being assigned to guard the gas mining stations on Jupiter. Now _there's_ a real dead end job. And out here, in the vast blackness of space, in the harsh cold beyond the reach of the warm sun, I have time to think.

That's why I come here, to the observation deck of Her Imperial Majesties Outer Fleet Flagship, The Black Star. Here I can drink my Mercurian Iced Chocolate, and ponder the mysteries of the universe.

The outer fleet has been stationed here for three hundred forty two days, seventeen hours, and thirty two minutes. I know. I've counted them all. Of that period, I have spent three hundred and two days, fourteen hours and seven minutes in uniform, and two hundred and six days, two hours and thirteen minutes in my small office outside the Admirals quarters. Seventy two percent of that time has involved mindless paperwork; twelve percent has involved taking various vids from the fleet commanders and punching them through to the admiral, and the rest, sheer boredom.

The numbers keep me sane, for the company cannot.

Back on the moon, I was the darling of the court. You may not believe it, but a fifteen year old boy in full military uniform is rather cute, and Saturn especially became quite adept at getting me assigned to her personal security detail. She was crushed when her queen told her I would be leaving.

Saturn I could talk to. We had an understanding of each other, two souls who did not belong in this world, in this existence. They feared her for her power and me because I tore down the conventions that they had worked for centuries to establish.

We would sit in the gardens, staring up at the earth, each in our own little worlds, but both so close to each other. I was her friend, her confidant.

She still sends me messages from time to time, as often as her busy schedule will allow. After all, she is charged with the rule and maintenance of the Moon Kingdom on Saturn, a very hefty responsibility indeed, and she is not left with much time to waste on a mere Lieutenant.

"Damien."

The voice behind me brings me back to reality, and I turn to see Jacen coming up to my table. Jacen is a good soldier, too kind and gentle for the service, which is probably why they gave him a desk job. Officially, he is the Communications Officer for the entire fleet. Unofficially, he is my friend.

"The Admiral was wondering whether our orders were to make for Colony Seven or Colony Seventeen."

I let out a depressed sigh. How very much like our admiral, to make such a simple mistake. He was a good man, but too absent minded. The only reason he had made it to Admiral was because his father was the Terran Ambassador. They put him in charge of this fleet to get him out of the eye of the public, for fear he might have embarrassed them. It was a valid concern.

"Tell him Colony Seventeen. I'll brief him on our mission later." I turn my attention back to the stars.

Jacen approached the table and pulled up a chair, glancing at me with concern all too evident on his face. "Are you feeling okay? You haven't seemed like yourself lately."

"No, I've been feeling exactly like myself. I'm in a dead end position, forced to play nurse to an incompetent admiral, with no hope of getting back to those that I care about."

"Come on now, it can't be all that bad?"

"Can't it? I'm not even seventeen yet, and my life is basically over. Where do you think I can go from here?"

"I don't know." Jacen waved a waitress over to the table, and ordered himself a drink. "You have friends in high places. You could always be made Governor of a colony or something."

"No, I have _acquaintances_ in high places. They don't care for me any more than… than that ensign over there." I place my empty glass back down at the table and stand up, snapping a sarcastic salute. "I have work to do."

"When do you have your next break?"

I look at my chrono. "0800 Hours. I'll be here."

"Do you mind if I join you? You look as though you could use some company today."

I give a barely perceptible nod, then turn and leave the deck, ignoring the salute of the officer of the watch.

The fleet hung like a thousand islands in the black emptiness of space, their barely perceptible movements highly choreographed and practiced. To any outsider, it would be a magnificent display of force, to me, it was as it truly was, a shell of the navy that once protected this region. For years, the politicians on the moon had proceeded with the slow but steady decommission of military spacecraft, claiming that after two centuries of peace, there was no longer any threat to the Kingdom. Of a graduating class of two thousand, only I and two others knew the truth, and one of them was Jacen.

For years, minor attacks on outlying colonies had revealed to the three of us a disturbing trend. Small alien task forces, unlike anything that had ever been seen within the solar system had been carefully evaluating the outlying defenses of the frontiers, preparing for what Jacen had aptly called "a military invasion of galactic proportions".

Two days after presenting his thesis paper, laying out the case for his beliefs, Jacen was made Communications Officer and transferred as far away from the public's eye as the politicians could get him.

As soon as they learned that I had assisted with his research, I was sent off after him.

At first, I had thought my transfer to be a blessing in disguise. They had sent me to the front lines, as far as I could tell, to the place where I could do the most good. I brought my concerns to Admiral Delos, where they were dismissed outright. Even now, walking through the well lit corridors of the ship, I can remember what he told me.

"Son, I don't know what they told you back on the moon, but you listen to me. This is the end. We are the rejects of the military, given the easiest and least dangerous assignment. On this patrol, there's nothing to do but grow old and watch your career end right in front of your eyes. There's no danger here, only the emptiness of the universe to slowly drive you to madness."

Even then, I knew he was wrong. I couldn't _see_ the danger, but I could feel it. Somewhere out there, beyond sight and sound, the greatest threat that our kingdom would ever face was readying itself for one grand assault, one that would sweep us away like chaff before the wind. With our guard down, we would be no match for the enemy.

It was close now. I could feel it coming.

It was time for me to write a letter.

**Blood Brothers is temporarily on hold, because I'm still working out how I want to get where I intend to go with it, so in the meantime, here's a look at my next project, a Sailor Moon Universe fic.**

**The Senshi will have minor roles in the story, it's more focused on the outer frontiers of the New Moon Kingdom. The original character is NOT me, or anyone else, he's just a character that I made up for the story, and I'm cool having him in a relationship with Saturn, since she doesn't really have a significate other. And the relationship will take second stage to the military aspects in this story. Anyways, enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2

_To her Royal Highness, the Queen of Saturn,_

_From First Lieutenant Damien Ayryn, Attaché to Admiral Pierre Delos._

_To her Highness, respectful and fondest greetings._

_For too long we have been separated by this vast empty expanse, for too long I have had no one to talk to, no one with whom I can match wit and humor. I miss our walks along the Sea of Tranquility, and our late night card games. I miss your smile, rarest of precious gems, and your laugh, more melodious than a symphony of Jovian Paradisios. The universe is not the same without you by my side to enjoy it._

_I am deeply saddened that I cannot address my concerns to you in person, but the mandatory blackout of the fleet has been placed in effect, and all vid communication with the moon is prohibited. Thus I must resort to this rather primitive method of communication._

_I have a favor to ask of you, as one wandering soul to another. I harbor grave fears that the Kingdom of the Moon may be in grave danger, indeed, by the time this letter reaches you, my fleet may be already engaged in a fierce struggle with an outside foe. However, all my efforts to warn the Naval Admiralty of the danger have gone unheeded, and the politicians have all but laughed in my face, and have refused to convey my fears to the Queen. Therefore, I would ask that you bring this letter and present it to her Highness, in the hopes that some measures may still be put into action to ensure the future safety of our kingdom and the citizens therein._

_Until such a time as I am once more able to return to the moon, please rest assured in the knowledge that every day that passes here, my thoughts remain with you and the others, and I count the days until I am once more able to stand in your presence._

_Yours respectfully, and with love,_

_Damien._

* * *

As I sit at my desk, staring at the large pile of paperwork that mysteriously appeared on my desk since the last time I was here, I resist the urge to find something breakable. Every single day, my life boils down to this. Paperwork.

The best tactician in the fleet (and I don't say that lightly) reduced to trying to find the file on food poisoning cases. It simply isn't fair.

Instead of tearing my office to shreds (it takes way to long to get it clean for it to be worth the hassle), I open one of the drawers in my desk and pull out a picture. Immediately my mind is sent back to that last day on the moon.

_I sat on one of the benches in the gardens, next to the pond that had become so familiar to me in the five months I had spent on the moon, an official looking document crushed in my hands._

_I knew she was behind me, but didn't turn around. She would announce her presence when she was ready. She always did. I let out a deep sigh._

"_Serenity told me you were leaving…"_

_Without turning around, I let my head sink slowly. I could hear her letting out a breath that she probably didn't realize she had been holding._

"_I didn't want to believe it. I was hoping there was something I could do."_

"_Do what? Your Highness, I'm a soldier. I do what they tell me, I go where they tell me. We both knew that eventually they would send me off somewhere. There will be others…"_

"_Not like you. They're all afraid of me, afraid of what I can do. You never cared. You were the first person to see me for me._

"_You'll still have the other Senshi."_

"_It's not the same. You know that. They are my friends…"_

"_And what then am I?"_

"_You know what I mean."_

"_It would not work. I am too young, and filled with too much fear and hate. I would only corrupt you, turn you from your duties. Perhaps, perhaps it is best that I leave."_

_I stand and straighten my uniform. "I must leave. They are expecting me."_

"_You will write?"_

"_Every chance I get. And you will do the same?"_

"_You know I will."_

She looked exactly as I remembered her. Sitting in front of a fireplace, a book open on her lap, and a small smile on her face.

Somehow, seeing her like this, exactly as I remember her always brings me comfort, even in my darkest moments. I remember that there is good and beauty still in this universe, worth fighting for, worth dying for. Perhaps, in another life, in another time, we could have been lovers.

Making sure that no one was around to see me, I pick up the stack of paperwork and carry it out of my office and dump it onto the desk of one of my subordinates. Let them handle the work, I have far more important matters to attend to. I pull out a holomap of the regions around the colonies we were given to protect, and, turning down the lights in my office, open it.

Springing up into the darkness of the room, the colonies hang above my head as I walk to each of them in turn, then step back and view them as a whole.

"Initiate protocol 3762904. Display damaged or repaired colonies over the last three months."

Immediately, a small handful of colonies lit up.

"Now display the path of the fleet over the same time frame."

A line of light cut through the map.

I smile. It was just as I had anticipated. As the fleet moved, the colony furthest from its current position was attacked.

_Intelligence, tactics, a thorough battle plan and a deep desire to carry it out to maximum effectiveness. By the time we get back to the colony attacked, the enemy has already disappeared. Then another task force, separate from the one that we were at that time chasing, appears and attacks the colonies that we had abandoned. We're spread to thin, and they are taking full advantage of that fact._

_But how can it be stopped?_

I quickly open a channel to Jacen's private quarters, then, realizing what time it was, quickly turn away from the vidscreen.

_Note to self: Jacen doesn't wear clothes to bed._

"Are you decent?" I ask, without turning around. I hear the sound of clothes rustling, then get the affirmative that I was looking for. "Take a look at this." I move aside so that Jacen can see the map I had laid out.

"Ah."

"You can see it too, then?"

Jacen nods. "They've got more than one fleet. You think an invasion force?"

"I don't know. Right now, it would appear that they're content simply to pick away at the colonies. I was thinking, check out the time when this all began."

Jacen gives a confused look, then a dawning comprehension appears on his face. "The foundation of Colony 32, the farthest settlement from the sun."

"Indeed. What if when we founded that colony, we accidently encroached on the territory belonging to this alien race?"

"They would consider it an act of aggression; a hostile annexation of territory they believe to be rightfully theirs."

"And would immediately set out both to recapture the land that belongs to them…"

"And to eliminate the threat to their sovereignty."

I nod. "And the all the politicians can see is the potential to continue expanding humanities sphere of influence."

"We need to tell Draco. He can get word to Pluto, who I'm sure will recognize the danger. And you can get word to Saturn."

"By all means, tell Draco, although I would put money on the possibility that he's already figured it out. It won't do any good though. The red tape involved in bringing the settlers back into the solar system will take at the very least a year or two to finalize. By then we'll be in a war for our very existence."

"So what do we do? It's not our job to be analyzing the tactics of the enemy. If the Admiral knew…"

"If the Admiral finds out, I'll tell him I'm doing it on my own time, for fun. Listen, can you secure this channel? There's something that I think needs to be said before we go any further with this."

Jacen fumbled around for a moment off camera, then with a flicker the vid dimmed, then came back up. Jacen returned to the screen and gestured.

"Shoot."

"I fear that the only way to rectify this situation may be to remove the Admiral from his position. He will not act until it is too late, and, if all else fails, one of us may have to replace him."

"You're talking about mutiny?"

"I'm talking about declaring the Admiral mentally unfit to continue in his current position."

"In other words, mutiny. You know they still hang people for that."

"I'm not saying that we'll absolutely have to. But if it comes to that, I think our lives are worth sacrificing if we can save the tens of billions of people throughout the moon kingdom. Are we in agreement?"

Jacen stood silent for a moment, then nodded and cut the transmission.

I stood in silence for a moment, taking one last long look at the map, then turn off the holo and raise the lights.

Time to get back to work.

**Same thing as the last chapter. Please read and review, for comments and critiques are love, and I really would like some love.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

_Cold._

_Even as the flames swirl around me, as I huddle amidst my ruined home, I am cold. Cold, and alone._

_All my friends, everyone I ever called my family, all dead. The monsters came and killed them all. I am alone, and I am cold._

_Through the smoke I can hear the sounds of movement. The soldiers are here, late, as they always are. Too late to save the ones I love._

_I am so cold…_

* * *

My chest heaves as I sit up in my bed, clutching the sheets tightly in my sweaty hands. The damn dreams again. I haven't had a decent nights sleep in as long as I can remember.

That night was the moment my life changed. The soldiers had rescued me, had carried me off the colony and taken me to the Saturn Defense Fleet Flagship, the Silence. There, I had been comforted in the arms of the only person who could understand what I had gone through.

She was alone as I was.

I get out of bed and slowly put on my uniform. I won't be able to go back to sleep, not tonight, not after that dream. I leave my room and take the lift up to the observation deck. At this hour, it's almost empty; the only people awake or not on duty are off with their loved ones, or their families.

I know my table very well. It has been my refuge for the last year, the one place on the ship that I can come to think. By the time that I get over to the table, a waitress is already on her way over with my Mercurian Iced Chocolate. My non alcoholic Mercurian Iced Chocolate.

"Something, anything with alcohol." She gives me a knowing look, returns to the bar, sets a bottle of tequila next to the Chocolate, then returns and hands it to me.

"Your forgetfulness, Lieutenant."

They know me too well here….

As I take a sip, I lean back and lose myself in the starscape. Out here, beyond the reach of the sun, the stars look like a sea of light, an endless expanse of diamonds, all around us.

Two weeks. If the information that Jacen and I had been able to gather was any indication, the hidden enemy would make themselves known in two weeks. This time, they wouldn't leave anything to repair. One of the two of us would have to tell the admiral. If he would not listen…

Well, we'd deal with that when the time arrives.

The drink was too cold. I was cold enough already without having to drink something that chilled me down to the soul.

I motion to the waitress, who comes over.

"Can I have a hot chocolate, please? Just something warm." She nods. I lean back, looking up at the stars, once more. I don't want it, this life. I don't want to be the only person who knows of the danger; I don't want to be the famous child prodigy.

I want to be back on the moon. I want to be sitting next to Saturn, watching the light of the earth in the reflecting pool.

"Care if another lonely soul joins you?"

I look around. Standing off to the side of the table is a young woman in a Captains uniform. I quickly stand and snap a sharp salute. She grimaces.

"I'm off duty right now, as are you. Can we meet as normal people?" I relax, and gesture for her to join me. I would rather be alone, of course, but the depressed sound of her voice has raised my curiosity. She takes a seat and looks up at the view.

"This is a good table."

I nod. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe I know you." She shakes her head.

"I know you by reputation, of course. My name is Rachel Summers. I'm the captain of the Scheherazade."

"I see. What are you doing over here on the Black Sun?"

"I had a meeting with the admiral with regards to our next orders. Anyways, you looked lonely, so I thought I would come over and keep you company. Want to talk about it?"

I shake my head, but the moisture gathering around my eyes betrays me. In a shaky voice I tell her about my dream, and she looks at my sympathetically.

"My best friend was a casualty in the Battle of Ren's Pass. This 'Peace' that the politicians talk about is a lie. The enemy is already here, and there isn't a person in the service today who hasn't been affected by them." She gives a low chuckle and gazes off into space. "When my friend died, I lost the only person who still treated me like a normal person. Captains of ships don't have the luxury of friends."

We sit in silence. It's nice to have another person near to you, one who shares the same pain that you do. I guess that it's true what they say. Misery really does love company. Above us, the fleet moves slowly through space, in an endless dance among the stars. A spectacular view, if I do say so myself. After all, I invented the formation the ships are in, under a different name, of course. I can imagine how the Admiralty would feel if they found that three quarters of the fleets formations, and half the contingency plans for invasion were written by a fourteen year old in the Academy. My companion seems equally fascinated with the sight, gazing up with a childlike wonder at the ships.

"You know," she said softly, as though to keep from breaking the silence, "All my life I dreamed of going into space, of becoming a captain of a starship. My parents owned a kelp farm on Mercury, and they wanted me to stay on, get married and help them with the farm. All I could ever think about was making it to the academy, giving myself a chance to follow my dreams. When I made it, I never looked back. It's been twenty years since I've been home. I wonder if they even know that I made it…" She coughs slightly, then stands. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I should be heading back to my ship, we move out in an hour. It was nice to finely meet you, though." I stand and shake her hand, then give her a sharp salute.

"It was my pleasure, captain. Any time that you would like to talk, you can usually find me here." She nods, then returns the salute and walks away.

I sit back down in my chair, sipping at my hot chocolate, doing my best not to think, and failing miserably. Sometimes, the moment that you'd most like to have any empty head is the time when it is least likely to be possible.

All I can think about is the wonder in her eyes. A wonder that I had last when I was on the moon.

When I was with Saturn.

* * *

By the time that I return to my office, there's a message on the desk saying the Admiral is looking for me. Not that it's unexpected; the admiral has many reasons to require my assistance, but it is less than desirable at the moment. What I most want to do right now is curl up and read a good book, not play nursemaid to incompetence.

Instead, I head over to his door and push the call button. The door slides open, and I enter.

The room is dark, as I had expected. The Admiral has a fascination of poorly written television shows from long before the creation of the Moon Kingdom. Checking to see what garbage he has discovered this week, I shudder.

_All my children? Disgusting._

He knows I'm here. I've never been able to figure out just _how_ it is that he is able to know this, but he beckons for me to come over to him.

"Lieutenant Ayryn, have you taken care of the fleet's orders?"

I nod, then realize that in the darkness of the room, there would be no way for him to see it. "Yes sir."

"Good. We'll make for Colony Seventeen at 1200 hours. Make sure that you inform the captains before you go off duty."

"Yes sir. Is that everything?"

"Just one more thing. I've been receiving reports that you are accessing certain information. Information that has no consequence on our mission or our orders. Care to explain?"

"Sir, I'm simply attempting to further my understanding of this universe we live in, on my own time, sir."

"Damien, as your friend, let me tell you that there are people who take great interest in what you do on your own time. Be careful."

"Yes sir."

"Good. You're dismissed."

I snap a salute, then leave the room. I have a lot of work to get done if the fleet is to leave at noon.

And no chance for a nap, either…


	4. Chapter 4

Four weeks pass without incident. The mysterious forces that had for so long plagued the outlying colonies vanished without a trace, leaving us clueless to their whereabouts, and to their intentions. The politicians on the moon began to press for another colony to be built beyond Vorchelian Drift, a gravity well lying ten light years beyond Pluto. I managed to get the Lunar Consul on Pluto to delay the plans, but even Draco's clever administrations were incapable of delaying the inexorable political machine. The colonization date was set for three years. Draco, Jacen and I all knew that unless something was done, we might not be around for that long.

The Admiral sank into depression, confirming what I had known for quite some time already. He had viewed the attacks on the colonies as the reason for his existence here on the rim, believing, at least for a while, that he was not only doing some good, but was an irreplaceable part of the Moon Kingdoms defense. Now that the attacks had ceased, that purpose had vanished with it. He took to his bed, coming out only for meals, and then very rarely. As his attaché, I took it upon myself to manage the fleet, as much as I detested the responsibility. As far as anyone knew, the Admiral was still in command, only Jacen and I knew differently, and we were comfortable with that.

We met often, discussing the trivial matters related to the running and maintenance of more than five hundred large ships. On occasion, at the meetings I would catch a glimpse of Captain Summers, but every time I sought her out she would vanish before we had the opportunity to speak. That was fine with me as well, for when I was alone, as always, I had the chance to think, and there was a lot to think about.

I knew that most of the Captains of the fleet resented me for the power that I had been granted, at my age. It is unbelievably difficult to command the respect and loyalty of those who believe that you should still be in grade school, and their contempt for me was all but palpable. There were a few whom I knew that I could count on should the need arise, but they alone would not be enough to grant me safety should a dangerous situation come about. Mutiny, or at the very least, a peaceful transition of authority was out of the question, for the time being.

Fleet headquarters sent me an assistant, a midshipman fresh out of the academy. He's young, about twenty three, wet behind the ears. I find myself constantly wondering if this isn't the first time that he's ever been in space. His name's Rico Estanzia. At the moment, he's just outside my office, doing the paperwork that I left for him. If I had to guess, I would say that he's finding naval life slightly less glorious than he had been led to believe upon enlistment.

And all the while I can feel the invasion getting closer.

* * *

_Saturn glitters in the sky above me; through the viewport I can see the magnificent rings that have given it its distinctive shape. It has been a long time since I was last here, so very much has happened since I was first rescued from the fiery remains of the orphanage I called my home._

_I wear the Lieutenants uniform proudly, for I have not had it long. I officially graduated from the academy only three days ago, and already I have received my first, great assignment. _

_I would see her again._

_Though it has been almost a year since I last saw her, I can remember our first meeting as though it happened only yesterday. I was a child then, a trembling shell of a child, shivering in the artificial cold of the ships to which the soldiers had brought me. Of the three hundred people living in my town, I was the only survivor, and the ruler of this planet, the illustrious, magnificent Saturn herself wanted to meet me. It was an honor I did not deserve, and I knew it. I knelt before her, but she reached down and lifted my chin, forcing my gaze up to her eyes. I'll never forget them. They were a perfect violet, darker and deeper than the oceans of Neptune, more beautiful than the tranquil seas of Mercury. Not that I had ever seen them, but I had heard stories. And I was lost within her eyes._

_She was young, at least in her physical appearance. It was common knowledge that the queens had been alive for hundreds of years, and would live for hundreds of years more, without ever seeming to age a day. Her dark purple hair fell down to her shoulders, resting above her low cut purple dress. She was breathtakingly beautiful. As I looked into her eyes, I could feel all the emotion that had built up within me over the past five days coming out, and I fell into her arms, crying. Everything I had known, had experienced, all of it had been destroyed. I had no one. As though she knew what I was thinking, she ran her fingers through my hair, whispering softly._

"_You still have me."_

_And for some reason, that made everything all right._

_Now, as I stand on the bridge of the small freighter, gazing down on my homeworld, I can feel her presence. She is somewhere down there, on one of the many floating islands amidst the clouds of gas, waiting for me in her palace. She could feel me coming to her, and I could almost see her smiling._

_My stay on Saturn would be brief, I knew and accepted that. Saturn would be leaving for the moon in a few days, to participate in a conference regarding plans to expand the colonization beyond Pluto. As the head of her Security detail, I would be going with her. Staying at her side at all times. It was an honor, and a pleasure._

* * *

The shuttle ride over to the Scheherazade was brief, thankfully. I love the large ships, the grandeur and power of the battleships and carriers, but shuttles make me nervous. They're far too small, and far too vulnerable for my taste. One good hit and it would break into atoms. Thus, upon docking in the bay of the ship, I allow myself a small breath of relief. I'm here on official business, according to my calendar, but the truth is slightly more… secretive. It's high time that I bring Rachel into the light regarding the current situation.

She's waiting for me on the bridge, like any captain would, wearing her dress uniform. It suits her petite form well, not that I'm looking. After all, I am only a seventeen year old boy. We move to a small conference room off the bridge, and dismiss the guards. Once I'm certain that the room is secure, I allow myself to relax and smile.

"It's good to see you again, Captain." She smiles back at me.

"And the same to you, Lieutenant." There's a brief moment of silence, then I sit back in my chair and begin to tell her everything.

All the information that Jacen and I had gathered over the last few months are laid out before her, as clear as day, or at least so I hope. I am, at least for the moment, having a devilishly difficult time reading her, so the best I can hope for is that she can see what I can see.

All too soon, I find myself completely finished. There is no more data, no more trivial details for me to show. I fall silent and look at her expectantly, as she sits expressionless in her chair.

"Why are you telling me this?"

I'm relieved. I had anticipated this question. "We've told everyone. The admiral, headquarters, politicians, they've all laughed us out. As far as we can tell, only I and four others know about this. Five now, including you."

"Who are the others?"

"Saturn, Pluto, the consul to Pluto, and Communications Officer Jacen Delko."

"So, if no one will believe you, what do you plan to do?"

"We aren't entirely sure. Ideally, if we can convince the admiral to temporarily give command to either myself or Jacen, we will be able to meet this menace with as little in fighting as possible. If that is not the case, I personally believe the only other option will be to declare the Admiral unfit to continue in his current position, and to assume command of the fleet."

"Mutiny, in other words."

"Well, not exactly. The Admiral is currently all but completely incapacitated, due to a severe case of depression. Convincing a Medical Officer that he is no longer able to command the fleet would not be all that difficult a task, but I fear that unless we have the Admirals permission to assume command, many of the other captains will be hesitant to grant me their loyalty. Such a transition of power may even result in a series of mutinies and other undermining efforts that could potentially render the fleet ineffective to counter the menace that we believe are massing against us."

"So you require my assistance."

"To gather up a group of captains and officers who we can guarantee will be loyal to me when the time comes. If a large enough group of officers can be brought to our side, then there is a chance that the rest will be far more reluctant to cause trouble."

"So you're telling me that you will be the one to assume command?"

"I do not ask for this responsibility. If I'm wrong about this, the ringleaders of whatever action we take may face capital punishment. Should that situation arise, it would be best if we can point to a single individual who can take the fall. Since the whole matter was mine from the beginning, that person should be me."

"And should you be right, and we succeed in defending our kingdom from this threat?"

"Then I reap the rewards, as do all those who stand by my side. History will be the one to decide whether we are looked on favorably, or negatively, not the politicians in power now."

Rachel leans back in her chair, a thoughtful look on her face. "Very well. You have my support."

As I return to my ship, I am both relieved and comforted. If the rest of the officers are as intelligent as Captain Summers, we should have no trouble at all bringing them over to our side.

* * *

Five hundred and twenty ships in the fleet. Ten battleships, fifteen carriers, a hundred destroyers, and a whole host of support craft. The pride and joy, and the backbone of the fleet, however, are the battleships. They cut through space like daggers, sleek and deadly, as the drift among the stars. Each ship is a triumph of five hundred years of technological advances, each with enough firepower to completely level every building on a small moon. They are massive, almost a mile long, and, were they on the surface of a planet, more than fifty stories tall. Next to them, the rest of the fleet look like toys, dwarfed by the tremendous ships.

* * *

All I wanted that night was a nice, quiet dinner. I hadn't had one for more than a week, flying from ship to ship, meeting each of the captains in turn. One lousy, quiet, uninterrupted meal.

Instead, there came at my door a beep, indicating I had a visitor.

"Come in."

They would be the words that I would regret for quite some time to come. The door opened, revealing one of the Science Officers. A Henry Falcone, by name. He had in his hand a large number of papers, all of which gave me a rather uneasy feeling.

"Sir, I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time."

I nod, another action that I would come to regret. Quite frankly, most of the following conversation I would regret.

"Sir, the Science Officers and I have discovered a rather unusual phenomenon about twenty light years beyond colony thirty two. A large, tremendously large gravity well has mysteriously, and rather suddenly formed there."

"How large, exactly, are we talking about?"

"Well, sir, we estimate it to be approximately twenty thousand miles long, and fifty thousand miles at it's widest."

"Do you have any theories as to what could have created a gravity well of that size to appear in such a short period of time?"

"Well, a black hole could have created such a well, but there is no chance that that's the case, based on the depth and other identifying characteristics of the well."

"Ships?"

"Yes, sir. As far as we can tell, the only thing that could have created a well of this particular size and depth would be an amassed number of ships within this area. It would be a fleet of… well, unrivaled number."

"Is there any chance that it could be an invasion fleet?"

"Absolutely, sir. A fleet that size would have almost no difficulty at all overcoming our kingdom."

I let out a deep sigh and rub at my temples. All I had wanted was a quiet dinner. I motion to the officer that he was dismissed, and once I was alone, I open a channel to Jacen. We have to get this information to the Admiral, at once.

* * *

I had only been to the Admirals quarters once before, and that when I first came aboard the ship. They were luxurious, as I recall, for the Admiral had a taste for the high life, and his décor was a prime indication of that fact. Now, in the off hours aboard the ship, the rooms are dark and quiet, quieter than they should be, were the Admiral awake and out of his bed. For some reason, I find myself overly cautious and hesitant. Rather than enter the cabin on my own, I wait for Estanzia to arrive with the watch. With them at my back, I cautiously make my way through the various rooms of his apartment, toward the bedroom. Ever since falling into depression, the Admiral had begun to come more and more rarely from out of his bed, choosing rather to have his meals delivered to him, when he ate at all. If he was anywhere in his apartment, he would be there.

The door is slightly ajar, for the Admiral had chosen to forgo the easier sliding doors for an old fashioned hinge door. One of his odd quirks, I had assumed, but those thoughts did not even enter my mind as I cautiously pushed the door open the rest of the way. As I had anticipated, he was laying in his bed, a motionless lump.

Asleep, as always. Ah, well, it was to be expected, I guess.

I move over to the bed and gently shake his shoulder.

"Admiral, wake up. I have some urgent information for you."

He did not move. I shook him again.

"Admiral, I need you to wake up. We are urgently in need of your assistance."

It was only then that I realized that he was limp, and not breathing. I brush my hand against his cheek gently, then pull it back with a start, surprised by the coldness and the waxy texture of his skin.

He was dead.

Immediately my mind begins to race. I'm the only one here who knows that the Admiral is dead; Falcone and the watch did not follow me into the room. Quickly I turn, making sure to shield the Admiral from their sight, and walk out of the room, shutting the door behind me.

"The Admiral does not feel well at the moment. We'll leave him alone for now, and wake him up later. You are dismissed." The watchmen head out, leaving me and Estanzia alone. I turn to him. "I need you to get Jacen on a line right away. And post a guard on the Admirals quarters. I don't want anyone in or out. Do you understand? They are not to enter the room, no matter what. Do I make myself clear?" Estanzia nods and we make our way up to the bridge. I have a hell of a lot of work to do if I'm to salvage the situation.


	5. Chapter 5

I stand in my shower, allowing myself to relax as the water runs through my hair and down my back. Already I feel dirty, and I haven't even decided what to do about my current predicament. All I know is that whatever I choose, in the end, I'm going to be extremely disgusted with myself.

I've done things in the past that I'm not particularly proud of. Back at the academy, I had framed a bully cadet, getting him expelled. I helped a friend cheat on a final, and while on the moon, had several instances where I chose not to man my post merely in order to get a few more hours of sleep.

None of that will come close to the decision that I now have to make.

In the pale light, I look down at the scar on my arm, glistening in the water, the last remnant of an old assassination attempt on Saturn. I had come so close to losing that fight…

_I glower as I rise, rubbing my hand against the red mark on my cheek. "You'll pay for that, you bastard." I whisper softly. I glance over at my handgun; too far away to reach. Smiling to myself, I draw my dress sword from its sheath. Looks like it's going to have to be a fair fight after all._

_Swords clash before the throne as the assassin takes the lead in our dance of death. He is skilled; I certainly have to give him credit, perhaps even more skilled than I am. Not smarter, though. I give my sword a twist to the right, just as I had so many times in training, and he falls back, losing his grip on his weapon. Not quite as skilled as I had thought, after all. As I turn my back to him and motion to the guards, I hear a murmur of cloth behind me. As fast as I am, I can only turn halfway before a terrible pain rips through my arm. I fall back to the ground, grasping at the bleeding gash. He stands above me, holding the deadly knife in triumph._

"_Silence Glaive Surprise."_

_I shudder at the words, bracing myself for the end, then look up when it does not come. The attack that had been known to be capable of boiling the atmosphere off a planet is far more focused, yet terrible in its brutality. Slightly modified, it wraps the assassin in a pale light, steam rising from his skin as he gives a horrible shriek. In a moment, it is over, and he falls to the ground, a moisture less mummy._

_Saturn is standing before her throne, glaive pointed at the spot where the enemy once stood. There is a terrible look on her face, a look of vengeance, but it is gone in an instant. The glaive vanishes as she races down the steps towards me, concern in her eyes I realize for a brief moment that I'm lying in a pool of my own blood, and then my world goes dark._

Back then, things were far clearer; decisions easier to make. I would have died to protect her.

The admiral is, or at least was, not a great man. He was adequate for the role that he played, though now that he is dead, I feel disgusted with myself for thinking such a thing. It is not good to think ill of the dead, nor does it serve a purpose. Yet to reveal his death…

If I reveal his death to the fleet, word would eventually reach the admiralty, and they would find another Admiral, or even a Captain to replace him. Certainly, I would not be considered, being nothing more than a mere Lieutenant. Yet, whomever they find will not be even remotely prepared to handle the situation that faces us now.

Morally, I feel consigned to reveal his death, and allow him to be given the funeral worthy of his rank. And yet…

And yet, when I hesitated back on Saturn, I could very easily have died. I would have, had she not come to my rescue. Now, I have a chance to save the entire kingdom, by sacrificing the dignity of a single dead fool. The decision should not be that hard.

I turn off the water and dry myself off as I walk over to the vid monitor, dialing Jacen's number. Serves him right for answering the vid nude the last time I called. Time to give him a taste of his own medicine.

Jacen appears on the screen, immediately flushing bright red when he realizes my lack of clothing. I pretend not to notice.

"I need a good forger. Know anyone?"

* * *

The forgery was really quite good, I thought to myself as I held the document up to the light. In fact, now that I could see the watermark, I realized that it was perfect, right down to the signature.

Jacen had put me in touch with an old "friend" of his, a master forger who specialized in military documents. When I told him that Jacen had sent me, he did it for free, something that I hadn't quite expected, but was thoroughly grateful for.

It was a letter, presumably written by the Admiral himself, granting me full command control of the fleet. My treason was complete. I carefully scanned the letter into the ship mainframe and distributed it throughout the fleet. In an instant, I now have the power to order the outer fleet into battle without orders or confirmation. Total power, and with it, an extremely heavy responsibility were now mine to control, and I found myself enjoying every moment of it.

And it scared me.

In the mirror, I catch a glimpse of myself pinning the acting admiral insignia on my collar. This isn't me. I don't desire power, I avoid it. I crave normalcy in a way that any ordinary person would desire greatness. This mask that I now find myself forced to wear fits me all too well. I hate it and love it, and nothing I can do can change the dark path that I see myself starting down. I am bound to this fate, to this destiny, and there is no one now who can save me. Not even Saturn.

And then the alarm began to ring.

* * *

_Red lights._

_Flashing, sirens blasting through the cold white halls, in the dark and sleepy rooms._

_A shudder, the ship rocks to its side as the pirate ship pulls alongside, firing wildly._

_Are they trying to capture us or destroy us?_

_The cargo hold! There are detonators in it, enough to blow the enemy ship into atoms! It isn't already destroyed, that is._

_I crawl through the smoke filled halls, passed the fallen bodies of the many passengers and settlers who have already succumbed to the toxic fumes. They are beyond saving._

_Fire, heat, the oxygen is escaping from somewhere; I can feel my lungs constricting, fighting to draw in the air needed to keep me alive. The cargo bay is just ahead._

_Ten detonators. It's all that are required for a task like this. Ten can easily fit in my pockets, and the shuttle beckons._

_I hate shuttles._

_Space. Cold, harsh, filled with a hostile darkness. Flashes of fire everywhere, explosions rock the shuttle, I can see the hold of the pirate ship looming ahead of me like a demon mouth, drawing me in, devouring me._

_Secrecy, silence. The pirates use robots to do their work. Very little crew. Very few lives to take. The detonators are set and charged, and the shuttle is flying out, out of that living coffin. They are already dead, though they do not know it. They continue to attack relentlessly, ignoring their deadly peril._

_Explosion. A massive rocking wave that drives the shuttle into the side of the passenger ship, blowing out the viewport. The space suit keeps me alive, but my body isn't in good shape. A few broken ribs, a busted arm. Probably got a concussion too. Now I wait for someone to find me._

_The pirate ship burns above mars like a bright red star, as meteorites of metal fall from the sky, a spectacular sight for those on land.

* * *

_

It was the proximity alarm. I knew that before I even reach the bridge, and when I get there, the reports confirm it. A small ship of unknown origin and unknown build came out of etherspace. A scout ship.

We are on top of them, and I give the order to lock them in a tractor beam, but they dodge, firing all guns with a seemingly wild abandon. Strange. We have them vastly outnumbered and outgunned. Are they trying to get themselves killed?

I sit in my chair, watching the viewport intently, my chin in my hand. We are in no danger; the guns on their small ship can't even make it through our shield. Something, however, isn't right here.

Why do they not surrender?

The flashes of their guns are reflected in the eyes of the crew as they watch me expectantly. Swift, concentrated, almost simultaneous is their fire.

No, not almost. Exact.

And then I realize, and am terrified.

"Kill them. Destroy them."

"Sir, shouldn't we at least try to contact them and demand their surrender first?"

I glare at the Gunnery Officer who spoke. "Don't question it, just obey my orders. Now. I'll explain it later."

One shot. A single round from our guns rips through them like they were made of paper, then a brief explosion, and they are gone.

I'm in a cold sweat. The worst case scenario is exactly as I had feared, every bit as terrible and horrible as I had guessed.

* * *

The captains are seated at the conference table, looking at me expectantly. They have questions; I can see that in their eyes. There is anger there, too, but I expect that. After all, ordering a complete communications blackout of the fleet has not been exactly a popular decision. Far from it.

"I know you have questions, and I don't want to hear them. If I haven't answered everything you have to ask by the end of this session, you can ask me later." I turn on the images of the enemy ship, and let it run right up to the final seconds. "What does this tell you?"

"They are highly trained, well disciplined. I would guess that they have spent a tremendous amount of time training for this mission." Captain Von Drake, of course. He always was one of the brighter Captains.

"Luck." Idiocy from Captain Marshall; perfectly natural, and anticipated, of course.

"Or a single individual controlling the ship from the bridge. All the guns could be linked to fire in tandem." Captain Summers, naturally. A good idea, but still off.

"Captain Summers was closest, with a single exception. If you look at the guns on the starboard side, here and here," I indicate three turrets, "you'll see that they are being individually aimed at the shield generators on our ships. That would indicate separate individuals."

"Then you're saying…"

"Exactly. They are one, a hive mind. A vast series of individuals controlled by the same central intelligence, an intelligence that would seemingly be unwilling to surrender them to capture. What would this mean in a large scale battle?"

Captain Lucitaine, of the Battleship DragonWrath, let out a soft sigh of despair. "No quarter given, none received. They fight to their death, or ours. There is no surrender, no prisoners."

I stand up behind my chair, pacing back and forth.

"This is an entirely different war than any that have ever been fought before. Five hundred years ago, in the war of the Queens ascension, for the first time in the history of civilization, a single council decided on a code of conduct that would dictate the actions of soldiers towards one another in battle. Surrenders would be honored, prisoners well treated. The ancient Geneva Convention was ratified and revised to meet new needs, and the war was the most bloodless and civilized ever conducted. We can expect none of that from this enemy. Everything that you've ever been taught about conduct with honor must be disregarded; you must unlearn everything you know. Do not show any mercy to the enemy, for they will show you none. Please for mercy will be unheeded, for you are not speaking to an individual. They do as the central intelligence dictates, and that intelligence is telling them to kill. We must be brutal and aggressive. We take the war to them, for once we begin to flee, we will never again regain the upper hand. They will not stop until either we are destroyed, or none are left to fight us. This is a war of eradication, gentlemen."

Captain Romanov stands. "The Queen would not approve of your methods, or of your battle plan."

"With all due respect, Captain, the Queen is on the moon, not here. She does not know of this danger, and will not know of this danger until either the danger has passed, or there is only one ship left to get the information to her. Either way, the kingdom survives or falls based on our actions. If you cannot handle that, then I will appoint in your place a Captain who can. That is all. You may return to your ships and make whatever preparations are necessary for you to be ready for battle. We move out at 0900 hours."


	6. Chapter 6

_I'll kill her._

_It's not bad enough that Saturn has to have the ability to transport individuals over short areas. No, she has to have a tremendously strange sense of humor to go with it. That's why I'm standing in the middle of the throne room on the moon, naked._

_I was having a lovely time taking a nice, relaxing, well earned bath, when I found myself standing in the middle of the rather crowded room wearing nothing, and there's nothing nearby with which I can cover myself._

_Protocol. Protocol must be observed at all cost. I bow in the general direction of the Queens throne, desperately trying to ignore the giggles coming from the princess and Queens of the other planets. I straighten, looking right at Saturn. She's looking everywhere in the room except for me, desperately trying to keep an innocent look on her face. Next to her, Jupiter and Mars are barely able to stand, they're laughing so hard, and Venus is looking at me like I'm a hunk of meat. Pretending as though I don't notice that I have no clothes, I walk up to Saturn and kneel before her._

"_You called, my lady?" She flushes a bright red as the rest of the Queens lose it, dropping back into their chairs as they roar with laughter. The Queen merely observes the whole situation with a small smile._

"_Why, Lieutenant Damien, whatever happened to your uniform?" Princess Serenity asks, trying to hold a straight face for the sake of Saturn, and failing miserably._

"_I'm terribly sorry. I was summoned before I had the chance to dress appropriately. I hope you don't mind?"_

_Venus shakes her head mutely, unable to tear her eyes from my body. I flush._

"_Your Majesties, would you be terribly offended if I retired and dressed in something slightly more appropriate?" All of the Queens shake their heads in unison. I smirk, whirl around, and stalk out of the throne hall, feeling their eyes on me all the way out. I'm already plotting my revenge.

* * *

_

In my sleep, I smile.

* * *

The next morning, the massive gravity well created by the enemy fleet had vanished. The first indication I had that something was wrong came when the chief science officer literally ran into my door, in such a hurry that he forgot to open it. With him in the hospital wing with a concussion, I was forced to rely on his assistant for an explanation. 

"Sir, it doesn't make any sense. A fleet that large can't simply disappear. Where would they go?"

I open a map of the outlying regions of the solar system and walk over towards Pluto. "The fleet was located well beyond the reaches of our Solar System, as far as we can tell. Now, because the vast majority of our territory is protected by the defense grid, and because the area that is not is mostly blocked by the two gravity wells; the Erlenmeyer Drift, here, and the Vorchelian Drift, here, we know that the only direction through which their fleet can come is through the small gap between the two drifts. This area is easily small enough to ensure that they cannot make it past us undetected." They're coming in through there. I'm sure of it. The only thing I don't know is when they're coming, and how many ships they'll bring. I know what Jacen wants; he's on the other end of the open comm channel, listening to our conversation. I turn to look at him.

"Damien, you know what I'm going to say. Your pride aside, you need to call for help. We don't have nearly enough ships to counter an assault of this magnitude. If we can get a few Planetary Defense Fleets reassigned to our task force, not only will we be able to patrol a larger area of space, but when the attack comes, we'll be far more prepared to handle the assault."

I dismiss the Science Officer, not wanting anyone besides myself and Jacen to hear what I have to say. "Jacen, you and I both know that I can't do that. Not only do the politicians on the Moon not believe that there is any external threat to our kingdom, but they dislike me intensely. And if that weren't enough, I've heard that rumors of the Admirals demise have already reached them. If they find a way to confirm that, or demand to speak to him, we will have no choice but to reveal his death. If that happens, they'll order me back to the Moon to face a Military Tribunal. It would be suicide to call for help."

Jacen looks down at his desk, refusing to look me in the eyes. "Damien, I hate to be the one to have to tell you this, but maybe it's time to face the facts. You aren't the only one capable of handling this fleet. Maybe you should have a little more faith in the abilities of the other commanders in the fleet. They aren't stupid. We have more than enough evidence to prove the threat exists, a more qualified Admiral may be better able to rally support to our cause than you can. Maybe it's time to step aside…"

"No, you don't understand. It's too late for that. Maybe it would have been better to reveal the Admirals death, maybe not. Either way, now it would seem that I've taken his death to my advantage, usurping his position in a treasonous manner. They'll hang me, Jacen. You know it, and I know it. Whether it's right or not, to reveal anything more than they know already would be to sign my death sentence. If we can do this without help, than so be it. If not, then maybe if there's imminent danger to the kingdom, they'll be more likely to assist in our cause."

"You'd be willing to place the entire kingdom in danger, just to save yourself? Don't you get it? This whole thing, the survival of the kingdom, protecting the moon, it's bigger than either of us. If by your death we can save everything we stand for, shouldn't we at least take it into consideration?"

"Ah, yes, it's very easy for you to say that, isn't it, knowing that I'd be the one to take the fall for you, when you had as great a part in planning this as I did."

"I'm you friend, Damien. If they take you back to the Moon to be court-martialed, than I'll come with you. I will take my share of the responsibility, and hang next to you, if need be. But don't you EVER say that I'm trying to dodge responsibility."

My head falls, and my throat tightens. He's right, of course, and I know it. But as I sit, face to face with the fact of my own doom, I find that I'm having trouble seeing things as clearly as I used to. I nod, remaining silent, and Jacen's stiffness melts into sympathetic softness.

"Look, I know it's hard. It's hard for me too. We've been friends for a long time, right? Since the very first year of the Academy. No matter what happens, I'm going to be right next to you. Your fate will be mine. Besides, remember, whatever happens, you've always got a friend in Saturn, right? So you should be fine. If anything, I'm the one who should worry. My original data is what we've being going on from the very beginning, so if the fault belongs to anyone, it's me. You're just acting on what I've already told you."

"No matter what happens, we stand together, right?" He nods. "Then open me a channel to the Moon, and tell them that I want a conference with the Admiralty." Jacen gives a sharp salute.

"Done."

* * *

The seal of the Admiralty glares down on me from the viewscreen, courteously informing me that my call is being connected. The seal is simple; the moon hangs in the center, crossed by the royal scepter and the jagged symbol that identifies all ships-of-the-line. On the top, in silver the words "United Kingdom of the Moon", and beneath, "The Admiralty". It is the emblem that I fear may mean my doom. 

The screen flickers to life, revealing a room, in the center of which is a panel style table. I recognize all the faces seated behind it, anyone in the military would. They are the best of the best, the generals and admirals and commanders who determine the fate of all who sail under their banner. They don't look particularly happy to see me.

In the center is an old man whose shoulders seem hunched under the weight of the medals on his chest. He is Grand Marshall Zitov, of ancient Russian ancestry, who is the commander in chief of all ground and air and space forces who serve the Moon Kingdom. He glares at me as he shuffles his papers.

"Lieutenant Ayryn. You have requested an audience with us to discuss the possibility of transferring more troops and ships to the fleet you currently manage."

I nod, knowing full well that he doesn't want me to speak. Not yet, at least.

"Mr. Ayryn, we at the Admiralty are having some difficulty understanding just how you came to manage the Outer Fleet. Is the Admiral currently indisposed?"

Inwardly I smile. They can't have any idea just _how_ indisposed the Admiral currently is. Or, at least, how indisposed his _ashes_ are. I nod again.

Marshal Noventa, seated to the right of the Grand Marshal, removes his glasses and looks at me intently. "May we speak either to him or to a doctor to confirm this?"

I had been expecting this question as well. Fortunately for me, about ninety percent of the personnel in the fleet were now completely loyal to me, and would do whatever I asked of them. Fortunately, this included all medical personnel.

"I'll have his personal doctor made available to answer any questions that you may have about his current condition." The members of the council seem extremely put off by this response. It would seem that they had expected me to refuse them outright. They would have to find a different, more effective tactic.

Grand Admiral Selus, given the responsibility of running the various space forces of the Moon Kingdom, has clearly been thinking hard in the hopes of coming up with such a tactic.

"If the Admiral is indisposed, I believe that it is Fleet protocol that I assign an acting Admiral to manage the affairs of the fleet until he is once more able to resume his duties."

This was expected as well.

"If I may, sir, under Section Forty Two of the Articles of the Fleet, section twenty six, if the Admiral is at any time unable to continue with his duties, it is the responsibility of his personal assistant to manage those duties until such a time as the Admiral is once more able to resume them."

The Grand Admiral smiles and I wince inwardly. Perhaps it wasn't the best tactic to begin a debate of the articles with one of the men who helped to write them.

"Yes, but if you recall section twenty nine, if the admiral is to be indisposed for an undetermined amount of time, it is the right of the Admiralty to appoint an acting Admiral from among the captains of his fleet to manage his affairs."

Well, no time like the present to seal my doom.

"I'm afraid that I cannot let you do that." There's a stirring among the tribunal.

"Excuse me for asking this, but do you know who it is that you're talking to?" Supreme Commander Trike, General of all Land forces is giving me a glare that would melt a glacier. "We are your superiors. We can damned well do whatever we please."

"I understand that, sir, but if you'll forgive me, you do not fully appreciate the situation that we are currently in out here on the frontier?"

"Just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, Supreme Commander, you and the rest of the Admiralty are on the moon. You are too far removed from the Fleet to fully appreciate just what is best for them."

"Are you trying to insult us, young man? It is _because_ we are so far removed from the current situation that we are best able to make these decisions. You are simply too emotionally invested in the fleet to be able to make an informed and entirely unbiased decision. Now, you will do as we say, and you will be reassigned to a division back here on the moon, where we can keep an eye on you. I must say, you have greatly disappointed us, Lieutenant. We had such high hopes for you."

I had not expected this. Here was my chance to get back to the Moon, to be able to rejoin Saturn. It was a chance to be happy. I could let all this go.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, sir. The fleet is loyal to me, no one else. Whether you give us your support or not, we will maintain our position here on the kingdoms boundaries, and we will fend off any invading force from the outside, whether you send us help or not. And, if you'll forgive me, sir, when I prove to be right, history will not question my actions, but it will question yours. And your grandchildren will one day ask you where you were when the kingdom faced its greatest threat and beat it back."

The screen goes black as I cut off the transmission, sitting back in my chair and burying my head in my hands.

That's it then. I'm a traitor, and should I ever be caught back in the confines of the Moon Kingdom, I will be arrested on sight and hung. I'll never see Saturn again, not unless we win, and by some miracle I survive the fallout of this war. I open a channel to Jacen.

"Jacen, inform the fleet that from now on, we will be running dark. No contact outside the fleet will be permitted. I don't want anyone inside the kingdom to know where we are. Understood?"

Jacen nods, and cuts the connection, allowing me to sit back and revel in the silence and grandeur of the moment.

A rogue fleet. We will be silent and deadly, a specter of death that will be the guardian angel of the kingdom. No one will know of our actions, of our deeds. We are black, we are dark.

We are the Dark Fleet.

* * *

**This isn't going as badly as I thought it was. Actually, one of my friends claims that it's starting far better than any of my other stories. On the other hand, I'm not doing so well in the review department. So please, drop me a note and tell me what you think.**

**You can use the extremely convenient pinkish blue button below!**


	7. Chapter 7

I lie beneath my sheets, clutching at the blankets and shivering. For some reason, no matter how high I turn up the thermometer, I cannot be warm. My skin is icy to the touch, my face pale and drawn.

It isn't fair. None of it is fair.

It isn't fair that I have to command a fleet before I'm old enough to drink. It's not fair that I have to live hundreds of light years from Saturn.

And it isn't fair that I have this disease.

Saturn explained it to me best, gently stroking my cheek as she held me close, keeping me warm in her arms.

The attack on my village had done more to me that take my loved ones away. The terrorists who had attacked had used a horrible virus. Saturn described it as the opposite of the twentieth century disease that she said had caused premature aging in children. The advances in science had created an inoculation as well as a cure, but the terrorists had refined it, making it purer, and more powerful.

I won't grow old. At least, not at the rate that normal people do. I'll age, of course. There's no potion or magical spell that exists that can grant immortality. My body will age at an extremely slow rate. When I'm a hundred, I will look like I'm twenty. When I'm five hundred, I will look like I'm eighty.

At first, I was excited. To grow old slowly, to have a far longer life than normal people, it should have made me tremendously happy.

I was naive. I can see that now. I will have to watch as everyone I know grows old and passes on. All my friends will die long before I will, and I will remain, a mere shadow of my former self.

And I will always be sick. The virus depleted my immune system badly. Pale and thin, I cannot gain weight, no matter how much I eat, and I am constantly weak and tired. And now I have to be the hero. I have to go against every power that I have ever served, protecting all that I've ever known and have loved.

I won't get out of bed. There's no power in this universe or any other that can make me leave. I'm tired, and cold and I like it here. I am safe in this darkness, between these sheets is a world that I know well, that I can find comfort and solace in. I draw my legs up to my chest and allow myself to cry.

I cry for myself, for the normal life that I will never know. I cry for Jacen and Captain Summers, forced to abandon all they've ever known to follow me in my desperate struggle. I cry for my soldiers, so willing to follow me to their deaths. I cry for Saturn, who waits peacefully for me in her palace. I cry for the citizens of this kingdom, whose very existence now relies on me and my men. I cry for the Admiralty, for their folly, their madness that would doom us all. I cry for my queen, who has faith in me, even when I do not have it in myself.

And I cry and cry, till I have no more tears, and still I cry, the dry sobs wracking my chest, as I struggle to breathe. And as I fall exhausted into a deep sleep, my dreams are colored with the silver of my tears.

Jacen is at my bedside when I awake, watching over me with concern in his eyes. When he sees I'm awake, he pushes me back into my bed gently but firmly.

"Damien, are you alright?"

Stupid question. Of course I'm not alright. Just yesterday I threw everything I've ever known or taken comfort in away like it meant nothing to me. Instead, I turn away from him, curling up into as small a ball as I can fold myself into. Jacen sighs and takes a seat next to my bed. He could have asked first. I'm not terribly in the mood for company right now.

"Damien, I know how you feel. I have a family too, you know. I'll never be able to see them again, most likely. You aren't the only one. Practically everyone in this fleet has given up something to go through with this. We're all a little down right now. But you're our leader. You have to be brave for all of us. If you show weakness and fear, everyone else will despair. You have to be strong."

"I don't WANT to be strong." I mumble into my pillow. "I want to be a normal child. I want to go to parties and school and do homework and have a crush. I don't want to lead troops into a battle that will determine the fate of our kingdom. I want to have a home."

"Damien, just because you look like you're still fifteen doesn't mean that you are. Whether you like it or not, you've been given a tremendous gift. One that we are all willing to rely on for our wellbeing. Would you just let us down like this, after we have put all of our faith in you?"

"I just want to be alone. I want normal relationships."

"So do I. I don't want to be some shadowy figure that children a hundred years from now will be forced to read about in some shabby outdated textbook. I want to be real, now, right here. But I can't. None of us can. We are caught up in something far greater than any of us. The only thing that we can do now is to follow through what we have set in motion, bringing it to completion. Then, and only then, will we be able to truly rest."

"Sure, whatever. Now, can you please leave?"

"Not until you get out of bed."

"That's the problem. I'm not exactly dressed."

Jacen's cheeks go a brilliant red, bright enough to light up the room, and he turns away. "I'm not leaving the room until you're out of bed and dressed."

"I'll call security…"

"Fine, I'll leave. But I want you to promise me that you'll get up and get dressed, and meet me on the bridge in thirty minutes."

"Whatever, as long as you get out of here."

I hear the door close behind him, and slowly I uncurl myself and drag my legs over the side of the bed, forcing myself into a sitting position. I moan as I feel the effects of last nights crying fit drive through my brain like a red hot iron. As I stand, I catch a glimpse of my body in the mirror. So small and frail, it's a wonder that I don't shatter when the air comes out of the ventilation system. It's a wonder I ever made it through the academy.

Don't get me wrong. I can be rather strong, and… mobile for relatively lengthy periods of time. If I wasn't, there would have been no chance I would have made it through the many attempts on Saturn's life that I had foiled. Still, my knees shake as I stand, and threaten to buckle under me. I walk to my closet and put on my uniform, pausing for a moment before fixing the Admirals insignia on my collar. It will be the first time that I have ever worn the insignia, and I am not exactly sure how I feel about it. To put on the insignia will be an admittance of all that has happened over the last few weeks. I know in my heart that there is no going back, but the insignia is the final sign of that. Sighing, I pin the stars to my uniform.

* * *

There will be a ceremony, of course. It's one of the greater, older traditions in the Navy. When a new Admiral takes command of the Fleet, there is a ceremony in which the former Admiral ceremonially gives over command. Since Admiral Delos is no longer with us, the ceremony will be slightly one-sided, but tradition must be observed. That is why when I arrive on the bridge of the Black Sun, the officers of the fleet are all already standing at attention, while the Master of the Watch ceremonially whistles me aboard. I take my seat in the Admirals chair. It's comfortable. I had expected as much; the Admiral really did enjoy his comfort. My fleet drifts passed the viewport in parade, silent and menacing.

My fleet.

When I was a child, back on Saturn, I once saw an Admiral come through our village, on his way to the capital. Our island was rather small, and the Admiral had come to see what a rural village on our planet looked like. I remember the awe with which I had looked at him, standing tall in his uniform. I had wanted so much to wear that uniform, to see the insignia on my own collar. I had no idea of the responsibility that such a position would hold. So many people now relied on me for their safety. So many of them would die before the end. As the ceremony draws to an end, the ships drift back into their positions, awaiting my orders to send them into the war. Knowing that Jacen would be more than capable of giving such an order, I enter the conference room and lock the door behind me. Though the fleet is in blackout, there's a call that I know I need to make.

* * *

The call is simple enough. I know the numbers by heart, and it is the work of a second to punch them in. As the call goes through, I gently sit back in my chair, trying to still my hands. It has been almost a year since I last was able to talk to Saturn.

Flickering to life, the screen shows what my heart has seen every day for the last year. Saturn is seated in her throne, her beautiful purple gown flowing like liquid sapphire, lightly accenting her violet eyes and hair. She is gorgeous, and my heart catches in my chest when I see her. She looks up from the book she's reading, and for a moment appears startled to see me. Then she smiles, sending a rush of warmth through every part of my being.

"Damien! What a wonderful surprise." I smile back at her, waving offhandedly.

"My queen, it has been far too long." She nods, then motions for those still in the room to leave. Once we are alone, she gives me as close to a hard look as I have ever received from her.

"Damien, we've heard some rather… disturbing rumors from the moon." I nod. News tends to travel fast in the hierarchy. "Damien, is any of it true?"

"If you're wondering whether I've defected from the Moon Kingdom, insulted the entire military general staff, and gone rogue to defend the Kingdom from an unknown and unconfirmed threat, then yes, the rumors are true. I had hoped that I would be the one to tell you."

She gives me a penetrating stare, as though making a careful examination of my most internal thoughts. In the old days, I might have squirmed under the gaze, but in the last month, I have become rather hardened, and do not flinch. She nods.

"Damien, do you truly believe that we are in danger? I have heard things from Pluto, and Draco has made some rather outrageous claims back on the Moon. The politicians are none to happy…"

"Damn beaurocrats. I've told you, the Kingdom would be far better off if the Queen would just do away with that useless Assembly."

"Damien, you know that the people would be furious if she did that. Traditions are far too important to them. It is best if we allow them to believe that the Assembly still holds power, even if they would seek to use that power to destroy the very fabric of our society."

"Is Draco in any danger? I know that the politicians can be rather unrelenting when it comes to silencing our information."

"I don't know. There's been talk of stripping him of his title, and maybe even jailing him. Pluto has kept him in her palace, just in case things get ugly. Damien, ever since you defected, things here on the outer planets have gotten rather chaotic. There have been riots, looting; people are migrating to the inner planets. Without the outer fleet, they no longer feel safe out here. Every day, thousands flee. Half the colonies have been completely abandoned, and more empty ever day."

"But they still have the Outer Fleet. Just because we don't fly the banner of the Kingdom doesn't mean that we are no longer fighting for them."

"They don't know that. All they know is that you have defected. For all they know, you could have set your mind on overthrowing the Queen and creating your own empire. They're scared, Damien."

"My Queen, what do the other think of the current situation? Are they… disappointed?"

"Oh, Damien, you know that we can never be disappointed in you. Whatever your reasons are for what you are doing, we have faith in your abilities, and in your judgment. I and the other Queens will support whatever decisions that you make, even if we are not able to do so publicly. You are, and will always be our favorite little military doll…"

I turn away so that she will not be able to see me flush red. The heating in the room must be defective. Yes, that is certainly it. It has nothing to do with the nickname that the Princess gave me back on the moon.

"My lady, what about you? Are you disappointed in me?" Saturn gives me a sad look.

"You know that the politicians will never permit you to return to the kingdom…"

"Forgive me, my Queen, but you did not answer my question."

"I'm not disappointed in your decision, Damien, but I am rather upset that you did not find it necessary to consult with me first. I might have been able to assist you."

"I am sorry. Truly sorry that I did not ask you first. It was never my intention to hurt you, or your investment in me. But, no matter what is said about me, I did what is best for the Kingdom. It's all I've ever done, all I've ever intended to do."

"I can send ships to assist you, if you need it. Whatever you need, we are willing to give you. However, you have to understand that we cannot publicize the fact that we are assisting someone that the Assembly considers to be a traitor. The assistance that we give you must be kept top secret, at all costs. I'm sorry, Damien. It is not by choice that I must remain distant from you. If I could have my way, I would have you back here, on Saturn."

"You are not ashamed of me?"

"Of course not. I could never be ashamed of you. None of us could. But you put us in a rather difficult position."

"I understand. Whatever happens… know that I'll always remain loyal to you, even after all other loyalties end."

She gives me another smile, and then I cut the transmission. I sit back in my chair, allowing a small smile to grow. She is everything that I remembered, and more. It is a wonder that so many people find her to be dangerous, a threat to their peace. Her power is feared, since she, as a person, is flawless.

* * *

I'm damn tired of maps, a fact that I find it necessary to point out to Jacen at every possible opportunity. Maps of the regions around the gravity wells, maps of the colonies and asteroid belts, every kind of map in the fleet library is spread out on the table at which I sit, rubbing my temples. I have such a headache. For the last ten hours I have been pouring over these maps, looking for some sort of clue, anything that can tell me where the attack might come from. Nothing has jumped out, at least not yet. Every so often, Jacen or one of my general staff points something out to me, but none of it feels right. There is something that I'm missing, something that should be obvious.

"Dammit. It's here! I know it's here!" I shove the maps aside, rubbing even more fiercely. I need a good, stiff drink, and a long nap. I look back down at the table, at the map that was revealed when I pushed the maps aside. It is a blueprint, a map revealing the superstructure of colony 32. I stop rubbing for a moment, and pull the map closer, in order to give it a more thorough examination. There's something about it, something that I should be seeing…

And then it hits me like a load of permacrete. Each colony is equipped with an artificial gravity generator, to give the internal portions of the structure gravity, without requiring a constant rotation of the entire complex. If that system were modified slightly, directed outwards instead of inwards, it would create a gravity well. Not a very big one, but if it were combined with the gravity generators of several ships, it would be more than enough to hide a fleet, even a fleet the size of the one we had spotted those weeks before. They were using our own colony as a shield from our sensors. They were already half way through the gap between the wells, and potentially even closer. I pull up a readout of the current position of the colony. It is exactly as I had anticipated. The colony has moved slowly towards the solar system; slowly enough that it would not be noticed to a casual onlooker. The enemy was nothing if not patient. It would be around Colony 32 that the battle would be waged, and the fate of my Kingdom decided.


	8. Chapter 8

I drift through zero gravity, floating as I allow my mind to drift to unknown places, peaceful and tranquil. Opera floats through the room; ancient high culture is the best way for me to relax, and I Pagliacci is one of the best. Even five hundred years after his death, Pavarotti remains as completely and utterly moving as he had been back then, or so Saturn tells me. This was our song, as depressing as it is. Vesti La Giubba is a sad moment, a moment frozen in the opera, when all hope is lost, and darkness at long last overcomes the soul. Many call me morbid for enjoying it as much as I do, but the stark look at the human condition is refreshing, especially to one who feels that he lives it every day. The agony of a soul in torment is kindred to me, and I revel in it.

The room I float through is open to the stars, a large transparent dome to the rear of the ship; when in zero gravity, those within it are treated to the rather unique experience of floating through space without any protection from the deadly vacuum. Vertigo can be quite lovely, I find. It is a room for relaxation and meditation, and I use it quite frequently. As the resounding chorus of the opera flows through me, I reflect on the souls that surround me, as the fleet moves steadily onward towards battle. So many of those bright points of light will be extinguished before fate has been decided; I have sent so many of them to their death. The cries in the song reflect in the tears on my cheeks, tears that I do not hold back, now that I am alone. To be the cause of one death is a tragedy, to be the cause of thousands is a travesty. A mockery of all existence on the highest order, for I truly believe that no man should have the right to decide the fate of another.

Opera. What is opera? Opera is the acting out of the grandest events and emotions of the human psyche on a stage for the enlightened to enjoy. It is the opportunity of the elite to hear the great indignities of life sung in beautiful chorus, that they may stand and applaud the fear and suffering of the characters upon the stage. It is a rather unique experience, standing in a stage before the many masks of the audience, feeling the heat of the spotlight dancing across your face. In the darkness behind that halo of light, you can feel the eyes of the audience following your every movement, hanging on your every word. Yet, for the purpose of the play, or opera as it might be, they do not exist. For that moment that you stand upon the stage, there is nothing beyond the spotlight but darkness and the void. You are uniquely alone, left on your own to hold their hopes and dreams in your hand, and to act.

Pretending to be something that your not, even for that short moment, is release. You are no longer concerned by anything beyond that heavenly light. There is no world, no trouble, no war, no fear or self doubt, no hatred and loathing. There is only the stage. I am on that stage now, reveling in the music, conducting an orchestra that is not there. The clock on the wall behind me continues to count down the hours till our arrival at Colony 32.

* * *

10:00, 9:59, 9:58…

* * *

I eat dinner in the mess hall with the soldiers. It is my right to eat with the other Captains and officers, but I find that it is far more enjoyable to eat with the sailors. They are certainly more fun to be around, I reflect as I am hit with a rather large glob of mashed potatoes.

"FOOD FIGHT!"

I don't know who yelled what; frankly, it's probably better that I don't. If I found out, I'd probably have to discipline them. Food begins to fly throughout the mess, and I find the moment to be ample opportunity to squeeze out one of the doors. Seeing all the food flying throughout the room has caused me to lose my appetite. Go figure.

* * *

8:00, 7:59, 7:58…

* * *

I've completely exhausted my collection of opera, unfortunately. I'm certain that the computer would have a rather large assortment, but since all requests that go through the computer are thoroughly documented, I choose to forgo asking for a list. Since there's nothing to watch on the vid network but old game shows and news reports that are making me out to be the devil incarnate, I go to the library to look for a good book. While I could call any book up on my computer, I've always liked to hold the actual copy. There's something about the smell of a good book that hasn't been opened for ages, the feeling of blowing the dust off the cover and stroking your finger along the binding that just can't be beat. Les Miserables is my selection today. Victor Hugo was a genius, and his work is unparralled. There is something of redemption in his work that is difficult to find elsewhere, there is nothing outdated and cliché about characters like Jean Valjean and Javert; I can often see aspects of their lives reflected daily here in my own fleet.

* * *

5:00, 4:59, 4:58…

* * *

Saturn walked through the halls of the Imperial Palace with distaste. So much white, it overwhelmed the senses if one wasn't completely adapted to it. Saturn far preferred the dark blues and blacks with which she had decorated her own humble castle, but the Queen was nothing if not… well, very fluffy. Fluffy was a very good word to describe Serenity, Saturn decided, and made a mental note to tell the outer Queens later. She was not here to critique the Queens interior decorating skills, which were non existent anyhow. She was here on far more urgent and important business.

The Queens met in far more casual chambers than the politicians and members of the Military. Throughout the room were many couches and soft armchairs, all placed before a tremendous window gazing out on the magnificent Sea of Tranquility, sparkling in the light reflected from the Earth. Most of the Inner Queens were already assembled, except for Serenity, who three hundred years after they had been schoolchildren together was still late on a consistent basis, and Venus, who was probably out trying to find herself a man willing to marry her. She was beautiful, Saturn had to admit, but often times came off a bit strong. Pluto would be absent, for she was far too busy at the Time Gates to come for such a meeting. The other outers would also be absent, both being focused on the construction of new Planetary Defense Fleets to replace the ones they had sent to Damien's aid.

Saturn nodded her head curtly to the Queens already assembled, and took her seat before the window. Following her lead, the others also sat, only to rise again hurriedly as Serenity tumbled through the door with Luna hot on her heels, looking tremendously displeased.

"Your majesty, that is the FIFTH hairdresser this week that you've chased out of here. It's not their fault that they can't do a thing with your hair. If you would just wash it more than once a week…"

Saturn felt vaguely sorry for her Queen, who looked to be on the verge of tears. Luna could be tremendously ornery at times, and this looked as though it was one of them. It didn't bear to be on the wrong end of the advisor's wrath. Once Mercury had gotten Serenity calmed down, no thanks to Mars' snide comments, Saturn began the meeting.

"As all of you know already, it is my belief, as well as the belief of the other Outers, including Pluto, that our kingdom is in a grave situation." Immediately the immature look of displeasure disappeared from Serenity's face, and she took up a very business like demeanor. "It is our belief, based on information that we have been given by young Admiral Damien Ayryn, that our Kingdom is facing an alien invasion of unmatched proportions. This threat is currently being countered by Admiral Ayryn, who is now currently operating outside the jurisdiction of the fleet…"

"To the great embarrassment of old frog face…" The rest of the Queens fell into fits of giggles at Jupiter's accurate description of Grand Marshall Zitov. Saturn paused patiently as she waited for them to regain their composure. "Now, based on calculations done by Consul Draco of Pluto, if we simply wait for this enemy fleet to come to us, allowing it to attack one Planetary Defense Fleet at a time, it will surely overwhelm us. Therefore, our only hope is to send out every available ship we have now to create one large fleet that can head them off, and destroy the threat. The outer Defense Fleets have already been deployed, and I have come to ask you to send yours."

The Inner Queens looked at each other, then quickly stood and began a heated conference out of earshot of Saturn. Serenity sat peacefully in her throne, gazing softly at Saturn.

"How _is_ Damien? You haven't told me anything."

"He's doing about as well as can be expected under the circumstances, you Highness. He's struggling a bit over what his duty has called him to do. He's not very fond of being called a traitor, you know. None of the Big Three are terribly pleased with how things have gone."

"The Big Three?" The Queen looked completely clueless.

"A historical reference, your highness. In the mid twentieth century, during the Second World War, the heads of the three major allied nations were known as the Big Three. Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin. In our case, the Big Three are Damien, Jacen, and Draco."

The queen continued to look absolutely clueless, and Saturn sighed.

"As I said, your majesty, it was a historical reference. You never did very well in history, did you?"

The debate ended, the other Queens came back, Jupiter looking rather pleased with herself, while Mercury sent her several nasty glares.

"We understand that Consul Draco is to make a speech before the Assembly in two hours. We have decided that we will wait to make our decision until we hear what he has to say."

Saturn nodded. It had not been the outcome that she had been hoping for, but it was certainly better than nothing. Still, by the time the speech was made, the Outer Fleet would almost be upon the enemy. By then, it might be too late.

* * *

4:00, 3:59, 3:58…

* * *

Consul to Pluto Alexei Draco stood just inside the door opening to the Assembly hall, nervously straightening the lapels on his uniform. This was the moment of truth. If he could not convince the assembly of his claims, there would be no chance that the Queen would risk the Planetary Fleets. For the first time since the Academy, the responsibility rested with him, and he wasn't sure that he liked the feeling. As he stood shaking in his shined leather shoes, the doors to the chamber were flung open, and his name called.

The chamber was daunting from the moment he entered it, the lines of seats rising skyward toward the massive vaulted ceiling. All around him the applause echoed, and he winced, knowing full well this might be the last time he would here it. He made his way slowly towards the podium, unconsciously shaking the hands that were offered to him. As he took his place before the great hall, he again straightened his collar and shuffled his notes. There was nothing for it; he could not put off the moment any longer. He turned and bowed stiffly to the Queens seated on their thrones behind them, and to the Presidents of the Assembly, then he turned and once more faced his captive audience.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of this assembled body, I bring before you today a chance. In the future, mankind may look back upon this moment with wonder, and will marvel at the chance that you have, for it may very well be that they will never have this luxury. We stand upon the edge of a great precipice, gazing out into the darkest void. Even at this late hour, as I come before you with great urgency, our greatest fleet is poised to strike at the alien menace that even know sits upon our doorstep. Alone, this rogue fleet stands a very slim chance of victory, a chance that gets smaller with every passing moment. You have the opportunity to change that." As he spoke, he was dimly aware of his voice rising in pitch, his hands beginning to sweat as he became more and more agitated. "This chance, your last, is to authorize the immediate deployment of every ship in the Kingdom to the aide of Admiral Ayryn and his fleet. No matter what the size, class, every ship available must be sent. I cannot impress upon you the urgency of this matter. In the past, such a request could have been sent through the appropriate channels, and I would not be forced to stand before you today, but this is sadly not the case. Every attempt we have made to gain the support of the Military has been met with nothing but resistance. They refuse to hear reason, so you must. You MUST do as we ask, for it you do not, this Kingdom will not survive the year." Draco found himself intentionally avoiding the intense gazes of the Admiralty. Around the room, at each of the exits, he could see soldiers entering the chamber, taking up positions to prevent him from escaping. For some reason, the knowledge that he would not leave the room a free man comforted him, and he was able to steady his shaking voice.

"The leaders of the military would have you believe that I, like my comrades out on the front, are nothing more than subversive traitors, seeking glory, or worse, power. They would have you believe that there is no danger, that life can remain the same as it has for the past centuries. In my heart, I would like to believe nothing more, but I know better, and because of the information that awaits you back in your offices, you will as well. We cannot imagine that no change will come to us. It is the very nature of this universe we inhabit to be in a constant state of flux. Nothing can remain the same forever, and the more we try to prevent it, the more violent that change will be when it comes. Now, there is no longer any way to prevent this change from happening, but there is still hope that we can survive that change. All I ask is that you investigate the information that has been sent to you thoroughly, and that you do so as rapidly as possible. If you do not, all I can promise you is war, and inevitable annihilation."

Completely spent, he almost visibly deflated. There was no applause now, only a hushed silence, as every member of the assembled Congress stared intently at him. And then they came. Down every aisle, walking amongst the diplomats, the soldiers advanced, their weapons trained on him, the only sound in the hall that of their boots clicking against the marble. They came and stood before him, and he came down to meet them, allowing himself to be escorted from the hall, marched out like a common traitor. He allowed himself one glance back at Pluto, who gave him a confused, mortified look, and then the doors closed, obscuring his vision of the podium, and she was gone. As though triggered by the sound of the doors closing, the hall erupted into furious debate, as each member attempted to make his voice heard. Draco allowed his head to drop. His part in this grand drama had reached its close, he knew, and he was at peace with that. He looked at the soldiers whose firm grip on his arm was keeping him on his feet. "There are a few things that I need to do, before…" He allowed his voice to trail off, and after a moments hesitation, they nodded.

* * *

Back within the Chamber, Grand Marshall Zitov rose from his seat and with supreme confidence, strode up to the podium, and cleared his throat. The assembled body fell silent. Never before had they been addressed directly by a member of the Military.

"Because of the apparent reach of this treasonous conspiracy against the Kingdom of the Moon, I regret to inform all the members of this body that from this moment on, the Kingdom is now under Marshal Law. I would request that you all return to your homes and await further instruction from the military." He turned and gave a stony smile to the Queens behind him. "If your majesties would be as kind as to return to the palace, my soldiers will make absolutely certain that no traitors will be given access to you, so that we can be assured of your continued safety. If you will just accompany my men, we will have this resolved in no time." Before they could find their voices to object, soldiers rapidly marched them out of the hall, followed quickly by Zitov and the others. Zitov allowed himself a brief smile, then turned to the others.

"I want every member of this congress who sympathizes with the Consul's claims arrested at once. And I want the Consul taken care of. Do you understand me?" They nodded. Zitov smiled again. This madness would end here, he knew. It had too.

* * *

1:00, 0:59, 0:58…

* * *

Draco finished his phone calls, and as he hung up for the last time, he gave a small sigh. Hopefully, his warnings would be enough to prevent more damage being done than was necessary. He then allowed himself to be escorted down into the bowels of the Imperial Secret Police Headquarters, to a small, windowless room. He took his seat at the chair in the center of the room, and once more straightened his collar, out of force of habit. He could hear the man walking up behind him, and gently closed his eyes and let out a long, slow breath. He never heard the shot that ended his short, but meteoric career.

* * *

From the locked room in the palace to which they had been escorted, the Queens could hear the sounds of sirens throughout the city. The vid's had all been cut, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what was happening. It was a coup, all around them they could hear the sounds of a purge being conducted with ruthless efficiency. In the stillness of the lunar night, the gunshots rang out with a special, cold intensity, and from the wide window, they could see the flashes of light from the streets below. Saturn let out a soft, low sigh.

"So beautiful."

The other Queens gave her a sharp look, and Mars seemed on the verge of saying something, but then caught herself, and gazed back out of the window. Serenity sat with an understated grace as far from the window as she could get, lost deep in thought.

Pluto looked up into the night sky at the earth, rising high above them.

"So, this is how centuries of peace end."

Saturn gave her a sharp smile. "Indeed. Shall we throw our lot in as well?" Pluto nodded, and Saturn summoned the Glaive with a quick flourish. In an instant, the doors were gone and the guards dead, and the Queens had vanished into the labyrinth like corridors of the palace.

* * *

3, 2, 1, 0

* * *

**Ah yes, another chapter, another major character killed off. Don't hurt me...**


End file.
